Owner Review: Let me tell you why I didn't choose Honda CR-V, My Mazda CX-5 2.0 GLS

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Basic information of my car:

Mazda CX-5 2.0 GLS

Reasons why I bought this car

During the time of purchase, Im driving a 10year old

Vios 1.5 (dugong). My wife was driving a Mazda2 hatchback and we have a growing family, we decided to have a Safer, Better & bigger car to fit the family.

Car Selection Process

Budget - Sub 200k or within a comfortable 2k monthly installment

Model consider - Honda CRV 1.5 TC, Proton x70, CX-5 2.0, Tiguan All-space

Reasons why I chose this car:

Technical specs on paper was the least of our concem, as what mattered most was the overall "real feel" and actual performance of the car during "real life traffic conditions", a big chunk of weightage is also based on how the cars react to our usual driving habits. Closest competition & dilemma was between the Honda CRV 1.5 TC vs CX-5. The feeling of opening/closing the door on a CX-$, hoping on, getting the feeling of driving, how the engine and gear response to dur throttle, feeling of riding on the back seat, the overall driving & riding mechanics for the CX-5 and interior quality (interior dashboard, door panel, leather & workmanship, every moving parts within the cabin, compartments, door knobs) was definitely at least a level higher than CRV. The fancy offerings from the digital dashboards to the TC engine on the CRV / x70 was really not that appealing and does not provide an extra edge when it comes to day to day drive.

User experience

• Already done 35000km.

• My average fuel consumption is 0.11L/km

Overall satisfaction was definitely felt as i was moving from a B segment sedan fo a SUV which was a significant upgrade especially for long distance family travel, good overall comfort, enhance road visibility and with the cabin comfort provided thru mazda's proprietary KODO design signature was definitely felt especially in the driver's seat, long distance drive became significantly less tiring and more relaxing. In city traffic and short distance driving, sedan or compact cars is still the obvious winner being more agile and convenient, especially for agile quick maneuvering in tight traffic or conventional parking space in old indoor buildings. As much as SUV handling had improved much over the years, driving a compact SUV still requires more attention especially moving thru tight traffic space. The higher ground clearance did provide a bit more peace of mind when driving through gravel and minor flash floods, and the SUV did serve its purpose by providing Imy family the ability to travel to accessible remote locations for a bit more adventurous weekend travel like biking, and hiking.

Pros of my car:

• top notch interior quality comparing to other japanese car makers 

• long lasting exterior design signature

• decent fuel consumption among same segment SUVs

• very good driving dynamics (even when comparing to more expensive conti SUV)

• decent cabin noise

• 5 years free maintainance & warranty

Cons of my car:

• lacks rigidity comparing to other more rugged SUV

• subpar car paint layers appear thin n flaky, easily chipped away thru wear and tear & stone chips

• boot space and rear passenger seat not as spacious as similar segment cars, but sufficient

• the stock 17inch rims designs looks underwhelming for this price range.

Ratings: 

Total Score: 5

Performance: 5

Quality & Features: 5

Space: 3

Ride Comfort: 5

Fuel Economy: 5

Price & Cost: 4

Summary :

Being my 2nd Mazda ownership, and 1st SUV experience. Mazda CX-5 had definitely set a certain standard for my future requirements for car ownership. Although considerably lacking in some of the fancy offerings (digital meters, voice commands, TC engines, auto parking, 360 camera etc) in other similar segment cars, CX-5 had provided me and my wife what mattered most in day-to-day driving. Priced closely within other Japanese manufactured competitors, Mazda sets the bar high when it comes to interior cabin quality, and lets you ride in style while subconciously providing the comfort of driving thru its KODO design signature.

A real deal breaker, from banging the doors closed with force to the tactile feeling of shifting the gear knobs, it provides a sense of substantial quality built & material difference compared to other japanese cars, yet still providing the long term reliability nearly on par with Toyota. Would defitely be looking forward to upgrade my other Mazda 2 hatchback to another Mazda soon.

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